PHOTO BY REAGAN WEST-WHITMAN
Two statues entitled “Lives/Works” with holes in their torso. A coffin made of hemp. A semi circle of candles surrounding a pillow.
Contemporary Craft’s current exhibition “Hereafter” explores the themes of grieving, mourning and the celebrating of life through more than 50 works in a variety of mediums.
“Grief and mourning are a part of each person’s narrative at some point in time, and of course we have globally experienced them over the course of the past few years. At Contemporary Craft, we value the opportunity for collective introspection around these topics, through the lens of artwork,” said Executive Director Rachel Saul Rearick in a press release. “This regional artist exhibition will explore intimate memories, as well as moments that might resonate with many. We welcome visitors to join these artists along a journey that processes spiritual and ritual response to loss, and imagines the world ‘Hereafter.’”
PHOTO BY REAGAN WEST-WHITMAN
“Hereafter” is on view until Aug. 24, and numerous programs are planned throughout the month to offer inspirational guidance to help individuals navigate loss and celebrate life as well as illuminate the universal themes of loss and remembrance.
On Thursday, Contemporary Craft will host Hereafter Program Series 2 – “Death Machine and The Speed of Grief.” The speaker will be Ricardo iamuuri Robinson, an interdisciplinary sound recordist, composer, and visual artist exploring acoustic ecologies and the relationship between humans and their environment through sound. The lecture will “explore how the business of death operates in modern times and the impact it has had on our nature to grieve and process loss,” according to the website.
PHOTO BY REAGAN WEST-WHITMAN
Hereafter Program Series 3 – How the Arts and Artmaking Transform Grief, will take place on Thursday, Aug. 22. Author and grief advocate Sheila K Collins will “offer insights from the new field of neuroarts as to how the arts transform our thoughts, feelings, and experiences of grief.” She and members of her improv troupe, The Wing & A Prayer Pittsburgh Players, will respond to the exhibition with artistic expressions.
More events, including making a Whisk Broom with exhibition artist Jada Patterson and a guided tour of the exhibition on its closing day, can be found here.
“Hereafter” was open to craft artists based within 250 miles of Pittsburgh. The selected artists are Sue Amendolara (Edinboro), Kimberlyn Bloise (Pittsburgh), Dan Brockett (Leechburg), Cheryl Capezzuti (Pittsburgh), Tom Doyle (Washington, D.C.), Meryl Engler (Akron, Ohio), Sharon Massey (Indiana, Pennsylvania), Zach Mellman-Carsey (Lancaster), Jada Patterson (Pittsburgh), Lucas Pointon (Gibsonia), Katie Rearick (Allison Park), Kate Strachan (Amber), and Hee Joo Yang (Pittsburgh).
PHOTO BY REAGAN WEST-WHITMAN
“In Hereafter, we carefully chose these 13 artists, whose creations resonate with profound emotions and memories drawn from their personal journeys, some intertwined with rich cultural and ancestral threads,” said Associate Director Yu-San Cheng in a press release. “Each piece reveals intricate details and narratives, inviting viewers on a captivating and intimate exploration of grief, mourning and the celebration of life.”
